


Permanent

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Partners [73]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-11-28 20:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20972966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Some things really do last forever.***NOW WITH CHAPTER 2!!!***





	1. Chapter 1

Technically, Danny had two tattoos – a tiny cross on one hand, and three tiny dots on the other.

He didn't think of them as tattoos, though. To him, they were permanent reminders of his time as a teenage moron, hiding in an abandoned warehouse with a bunch of friends about to permanently disfigure themselves because they wanted to look tough. Bobby Galecki had stolen his older brother's tattoo gun, and they'd all submitted to tiny, stupid tattoos as proof they were "tough enough." The cross had been the biggest and most complicated of the tattoos they'd gotten, and Danny had been the only one to get something on both hands.

At the time, both had been points of real pride for Danny. Now, he was just amazed that neither of them had gotten infected.

In the years since, he had never once been tempted to get what he considered a "real tattoo." If asked, whether it was by college friends or fellow cops, he always said that only an idiot would pay money to go through that much pain.

The real reason, though, was that he knew the pain of the tattoo was nothing on the hurt it would give him later. Nothing lasted, at least not anything good, and giving yourself a permanent reminder of something was just going to screw you over later when you didn't have it anymore. He'd considered getting a tattoo with Grace's name on it, just after she was born – he didn't because he knew Rachel would have gotten mad if her name wasn't there, too – but he ended up being grateful he hadn't. That first year after the divorce, there was too much of a chance he would have started crying every time he looked at the damn thing.

Nothing lasted forever. Trying to pretend otherwise just gave the universe another opportunity to prove you wrong.

000

Danny closed his eyes, the feeling of the disposable razor shaving his upper arm already enough to send new flickers of anxiety through him. Even his nerve endings knew that unpleasant shit was about to go down. "It's good I didn't end up doing it on my chest. I'd have had to start manscaping full time, and who wants to bother with that?"

"Think of how much extra time you'd have to take in the morning." He could hear the smile in Steve's voice, even though he couldn't see it. "Besides, I'd miss your fur too much."

Between the two of them, they'd managed to turn affectionate harassment into an art form. "The nice woman who's about to stick needles in my body would probably prefer you not mentally scar her, babe."

Elika, the aforementioned nice woman, just laughed as she cleaned the newly bare skin. "Don't worry about it." She had three piercings in her eyebrows, a bright pink buzz cut, and a girlfriend who worked at one of the banks downtown. "I have heard _way_ kinkier stuff from people who come in here."

"See, Danno?" He could hear Steve's smile widen into a grin. It should _not_ have been as comforting as it was. "Nothing to worry about."

Danny could hear Elika coming back with the transfer, sending more nerves skittering through his stomach. He barely moved his hand, not enough that most people would even notice, and Steve grabbed it without needing to be asked. "With you, there's almost always something to worry about."

Elika came back, putting on the transfer quickly and efficiently. "Now you've got to open your eyes and tell me what you think of the placement."

He opened them, turning his head to see his upper arm reflected in the little mirror she'd swung around. Three names, one right underneath the other – Steve, Grace, and Brandon. Each one was written in the person's own handwriting, careful enough that even Steve had written his out a few times to make sure it looked legible enough.

It was the closest he would ever come to wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"I like it." He turned away again, staring at Steve's face for a few precious seconds before closing his eyes again. "Work your magic, Doc."

"Don't worry, detective." He could hear her setting up a few last things. "You're in good hands."

"I know." He squeezed Steve's hand, letting him know he meant both of them. "I wouldn't do this with just anyone."

"I consider that a compliment." Her voice was warm. "Now, since you strike me as the kind of man who doesn't like surprises, I'm going to tell you right now to take a deep breath. This is going to hurt."

Even though he was bracing for it, the feel of the needle sliding in still hurt like a motherfucker. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as actually being stabbed, except when he got stabbed with an actual knife he was usually focused on keeping himself or someone he loved alive. So, comparatively, it wasn't great. His grip tightened on Steve's hand and stayed that way. "Tell me if I break your fingers."

Steve just stroked a soothing thumb over his knuckles. "I think I can take it."

The younger him, both the one who'd gotten the hand tattoos and the not-as-young one who'd refused to go to marriage counseling because he was scared as hell of what he'd say, would have told Steve he was fine. That he could go home if he'd wanted. He was tough enough to handle it on his own.

As he'd previously established, the younger him was a dumbass.

Danny opened his eyes, looking up at Steve again. "Thanks for holding my hand," he managed, voice rough.

Steve, expression soft, lifted his hand and pressed a kiss against the back of it. "One of my favorite things to do."

"If you guys don't stop being adorable, I'm gonna get all teary and fuck up this adorable tattoo." Amusement had joined the warmth in Elika's voice. "Distract yourselves by talking to me. What inspired you to take the big tattoo plunge?"

He kept his eyes on Steve so he wouldn't think about how much it still fucking hurt. "Our daughter started college this fall. I've been feeling feelings."

It was shorthand for everything from the "my baby is growing up" sadness to the "did she inherit my dumbass genes" anxiety to a weird sense of peace he hadn't expected. She was growing up, but that didn't make her any less his daughter. Even if she ended up moving off the islands – which, for the record, he never, _ever_ wanted to have happen – he wouldn't really _lose_ her.

Some things, he'd finally learned, really did last forever.

"You know you didn't have to get my name, too, right?" Steve said gently, a comment he'd made more than once since Danny had brought the idea up. "I would have been fine if you'd just wanted to focus on the kids."

Normally Danny just kissed him and told him to shut up, but that wouldn't exactly work at the moment. "You really think you can be the person who finally convinces me of this whole 'forever' business and _not_ get your name on the commemorative tattoo? Not even death is getting you out of this marriage, babe."

Now Steve was full-on choked up. "Clearly, I'm going to need a matching tattoo with your name on it," he managed. "Will you come hold my hand while I get it?"

Danny's throat tightened at the completely sincere-sounding question from his big, tough, former-SEAL husband. Yeah, he was really going to have to kiss him when he no longer felt like shit. "Any day of the week."

There was a distinct sniffle from Elika. "I was serious, you two. If you make me cry, I'm kicking both your asses."


	2. Chapter 2

Steve got his first tattoo, on his right shoulder, when he graduated from the Naval Academy. He and a group of other grads whose families hadn’t been there for graduation had all gone to a bar together that night, and Bailey came up with the idea of all of them getting a tattoo to mark the moment. The tattoo had been simple enough – the outline of an anchor and “USF” in block letters, the exact same thing the guy had given any number of students and grads over the years. But they’d all gotten the exact same thing, laughing and cheering each other on, and for the first time he really felt like he belonged to something bigger.

He got his second tattoo, this time on the other shoulder, after they’d made it through SEAL training. This time it had been Freddie’s idea, and everyone who’d made it had all gone together to get the same SEAL trident tattoo. He’d already researched the meaning of all the symbols in the design, from the humility of the eagle’s lowered head to all the areas SEALS were meant to protect, but the tattoo meant even more to him. He barely spoke to his sister anymore, and when he did they mostly fought, but he had brothers now. He had a family again.

Later, a captain Steve distantly recognized from his days in Naval Intelligence quietly approached him. His team was needed for a special, highly classified mission that would be of great benefit to the country, but some changes would need to be made. Personally identifying tattoos would be fine, but none of the team could have any markings that could tie them back to the Navy or the U.S. government. If he were to be captured on the mission, he wouldn’t want to betray his country. 

Steve passed the order onto his team, then quietly went into the nearest tattoo shop to get his own ink covered. He chose whatever designs the artist said would work best, not really caring about them beyond that. Because they were big, and colored, the two new tattoos took more than one session to complete.

He was alone for all of them.

000

“You know, I’m starting to think this is all just an excuse to take your shirt off in public,” Danny said lightly, thumb stroking back and forth over Steve’s knuckles. “You haven’t had to randomly strip for a case in awhile, and you were feeling deprived.”

“I mean, it’s a pretty good chest,” Elika said, carefully shaving the last few hairs off of the skin between Steve’s pectoral muscles before finishing up with another antiseptic and numbing agent. “It doesn’t do anything for me personally, but I can appreciate it on an aesthetic level.”

“Danny likes staring at it.” Steve grinned, eyes on Danny’s face. “It’s the real reason I change my shirt at work so often.”

Danny just raised an eyebrow at him. “You think I’m embarrassed that I ogle my hot husband at every opportunity? Not only is that something I have every right to do, especially since I had the good sense to marry you, but it’s really just the best use of my time in most cases.”

Steve’s thumb stroked over the back of his hand. “Touching me would be an even better use of your time.”

Danny’s lips curved upward. “Babe, if I touched all the places I ogled you, every single time I ogled you, we’d be way too distracted to get anything done. Also, there’s the little fact that we would _definitely_ get arrested for public indecency.”

Elika laughed as she laid on the transfer. “I really do feel so much sympathy for your children,” she teased. “You sound like you’re amazing dads, but you two must also be embarrassing as hell when you’re out in public together.”

Steve’s chest squeezed tight. He was loved so obviously, and his own love was so appreciated, they had a _reputation_ for it. He hoped he was never stupid enough to take that for granted. “So we’ve been told.”

Danny’s smile widened. “We take particular pride in that fact.”

She peeled away the paper, then held up the mirror so he could see the placement. Danny’s name, Grace’s name and Brandon’s name, placed as close to his heart as possible. He’d talked to her for a long time about finding the spot where the tattoo would look good for the longest time, not distended by the shape of his body or the aging process. He wished he’d still had space on his shoulders left, but he didn’t want to put this one below the ones he’d already had. He didn’t want anyone to see it as less important.

It was more important than anything.

His fingers ghosted along the edge of the design, his gaze flicking over to Danny again. His black ops days were done, and Wo Fat was dead, but the idea of him getting captured again wasn’t out of the question. If this somehow—

“Babe.” Danny squeezed his hand, his expression making it clear he’d read all this off of Steve’s face. “I told you. If anything like that happened, I would make sure the kids were so safe that the gold in Fort Knox would get jealous. Then I would go introduce myself to the asshole _personally_, carrying the biggest guns I could find and with an entire team of _very_ angry people backing me up.” He pressed a kiss against Steve’s knuckles. “I _want_ our names on you.”

Steve blinked hard against the sudden sting in his eyes. “You know,” he managed, throat tight, “I could still get that ‘property of’ tattoo while we’re here.”

Danny huffed out a laugh, his own voice a little rough. “Don’t tempt me.”

“We’re going to have to lock down a design, and I’m going to need a break to call my girlfriend and cry about how much I love her, but after that I’m all for it.” Elika turned on the tattoo gun, coming back around and meeting Steve’s eyes. “I know you’ve got a lot of tattoo experience, but some of this is practically over bone. It’s going to hurt like hell.”

“I’ll be fine.” He knew all kinds of techniques to block out pain, even though he hadn’t had to use them in awhile. “I’ve had worse.”

Danny’s hand tightened on his. “You are still _way_ too casual when you say that.”

Steve met Danny’s eyes, squeezing back. “It’s okay,” he said, heart so full he was amazed his chest wasn’t bursting. “I got you out of it.”

Now Danny had to blink hard against suddenly stinging eyes. “Can you please get started, so he’s too distracted to say poetic shit like this?”

She shook her head fondly. “As if you’re any better.”

When the needle first went in, Steve’s hand tightened on Danny’s again. Danny held on just as hard, like there was nothing in the world capable of making him let go.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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